The 54-14 score was somewhat expected.  Brownwood is deserving of the #1 ranking in Class 3-AAA.  Llano is about 40 points behind.  Still, I was not disappointed in the effort.  Llano did not play well on defense.  The missed tackles just keep adding up.  Many times, Llano was in position to make the plays.  Gang tackeling did not start until after the half.  When gang tackeling started to happen, the game came under control.  The Jackets still have too many players waiting for someone else to make the plays.  Still, effort and want to must begin to find results.

   The motor of senior Travis Lawrence runs wide open on every play.  I never see him take a play off.  Every Jacket must start their own engines…sooner…and understand that kind of effort is the only way the state playoffs can still be realistic.

   Sterling Jameson had a good game.  So did Conner Chauncy, Justin Saverance.  Good to see Justin Wyatt and John McKay back on their game.  And senior Cody Wisdom had some very good plays.  Wes Haverlah showed good effort.  And senior Zach Berry made some plays.  Four catches by sophomore Matt Center produced 2 first downs when quaterback Preston Rabb found him open behind the linebackers. 

   The Jacket passing game is best in the short game and looking for the 8-15 yard pass.  Rabb is much better throwing from the pocket.  And his scrammbles more effective from the inside.  Getting John McKay back into the mix at receiving is a key to this offense moving.  Brownwooods’ speed on defense defused most of what I just said, but Llano will not play another team with this speed unless they can get to the third level of the playoffs.  Center, McKay, Conner, Vance Bauer, and Sterling are all capable of moving the chains with a first down type pass.  The deep throws have not connected. 

   Llano plays one of its oldest rivalries and traveling to Fredericksburg this Friday.  The over-all record against the ‘Billies is bad…very bad….16-35-3 bad.  But the Jackets have owned the’Billies the last three years.  The Jackets need a very strong game this week more than ever.  Why this week?  The Jackets need to make the following happen: 1) Have a 3-2 record before the week off.  Resting with a good taste in ones mouth goes along way in determining the way you look at the up coming district race. 2) Positive results from Fredericksburg will help determine how this offense is going to evolve.  There still is not a set and winning…go to formula….is it Saverance and Chauncy and a few passes…is it a short passing game and lots of draws…is it all passing and passes to backs coming out of the backfield?  After five games, Llano will know better what works. 3)  the district is not as tough as the past eight years.  Burnet can be beat by Llano.  Lampasas has not yet found its footing in their new slot-t offense.  The Badgers have the athletes to hurt people.  But until they do, Llano can beat Lampasas.  Liberty Hill always can be good…very good, but this Jackets team did not allow the reputation of the Panthers win last year.  Llano can beat any of the three favorites for post season.  Beating Fredericksburg soundly this week sets the stage for district play.